Re: cistus ID and propagation
- Subject: Re: cistus ID and propagation
- From: T* a* M* R*
- Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 09:08:06 +1200
Joe Seals wrote:
>
> Barbara:
>
> I think that the most common Cistus with small pink
> flowers in California is Cistus x skanbergii. It has
> small grayish-sage-green leaves and blooms off and on
> throughout the year. Although the books say it gets
> to 30-36 inches tall, the three in my front yard have
> supported each other up to a height of six feet. The
> soft pink flowers are about 1-1/4-inch across and bear
> centers of tightly packed bright yellow stamens.
Joe and Barbara
I was glad to see this ID, as I have lost the name of the Cistus I grow
which I am pretty sure is this one. It seems not only to appear right
but certainly flowers at any time of year. I have two bushes full of
flower just now in the middle of Autumn. Incidently, it never grows much
over 30" for me, But it lives on a very dry sunny hillside without
supplementary watering.
Regarding propagation, I have had very good success with this cultivar
by the lazy method of layering, which is extremely reliable, at least in
my garden, and requires little more effort than finding a suitable stone
to hold a branch down for four or five months.. The resulting plants
have proved easy to transplant and are in business almost immediatly
they have rooted, producing their cheerful and bounteous flowers.
In general. I have found layering very good for a number of species,
particularly some very hard to grow from cuttings. For instance, I have
for some reason never had any "take" with cuttings of Hebe pimelioides,
but can reproduce it with the greatest of ease by layers and keep my
bush forever young and vigorous by layering it about every second or
third year..
Layering is also a good non-fiddly way to revive old woody specimens of
culinary thyme.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata - at the Southern tip of North Island, NZ,
Lat 41°15'S, Long 174°58'E (Antipodes of Spain/Southern France)
